A Defra-run “smarter guidance and data” review, including pig farming questions, aims to reduce the time needed for new businesses to find out about their obligations by at least 80%.
An outcome of the government’s red tape challenge, the review is designed to make it easier, quicker and clearer to understand what environmental rules apply to businesses and simpler to report essential environmental and farming data. According to Defra, this will make it cheaper for businesses and others to comply with regulations and achieve strong environmental standards.
“Over the next 12 months, Defra and its regulators will make significant progress to reform environmental guidance on the gov.uk website,” said Defra, adding that it is also taking the opportunity to review all information farmers need to provide to Defra and its regulators.
The review includes the following four questions about pig farming:
- How do I set up my business or report a change in circumstances as a pig keeper?
- What are the rules on pig identification?
- What are my recording/reporting obligations as a pig keeper?
- What are the rules on reporting pig movements?
Producers who click on the “reporting pig movements” link are taken to a page displaying the following outline of future content:
New guidance will tell you
- how and when to pre-notify movements and report completed movements
- who needs pre-notification movement documentation, when it is needed, how to get a requisite number of movement documents (e.g. for the haulier and receiving keeper) and whether it should be electronic or on paper
- the “standstill” restrictions on movement off farms
- about identification, recording and reporting requirements for intra-community trade, and third country imports and exports
- who to contact for advice on movement reporting
There is also a page link for producers to enter an online answer to the question: “Does this content outline cover what you need from government?”
